Last Updated on January 22, 2026 by Lisa Keys
These easy orange cupcakes with a fluffy orange buttercream are a citrus treat. This recipe not only relies on pure orange oil, but also fresh orange zest, orange juice and a surprise ingredient-orange soda. For the ultimate burst of citrus, I prefer Orange Crush, but if you can't find it any other orange soda will do. These cupcakes are the perfect Valentine's Day treat for the non-chocolate lover.
Love and Loss
In the best case scenario, love would not bring pain. Yet, in our world that is the reality. We love someone. We lose someone and we must experience the pain and the grief. I am grateful every day that my William felt the love of family, but it is that deep love that makes mourning so difficult.
At first, you feel like you won't survive it. You've been CRUSHED. Then comes a kind of angry sadness as you confront the fact that your loved one is really gone. It's like a part of you has died along with him or her. Then those intense feelings slowly decline and you reenter the world as someone sort of new. Someone you didn't know you could be.
Is the pain of love and loss worth it? Absolutely 100%! Here comes Valentine's Day. It is one of those love-hate holidays for most. Hopefully, you have a Crush on someone and here is a simple way to show it. Buy a can of orange Crush soda and with a sharpie pen a sweet message on the can. Then.....print out this recipe and give it to them, so they can bake you these easy orange cupcakes.
Ingredients for the Citrus Cupcakes
This recipe uses cake flour for the lightest crumb. If you don't have cake flour you can use all-purpose flour plus cornstarch. Replace 2 tablespoons of the in flour in the recipe with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
The other unusual ingredient in the recipe is orange oil. If you can't find it just use pure orange extract instead. The measurements are listed in the recipe card.
How to make easy orange cupcakes
Easy Orange Cupcakes with Orange Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
- ⅛ teaspoon orange oil or 1 teaspoon pure orange extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups cake flour
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup orange soda
Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 2 drops orange oil or 1 teaspoon orange extract
- pinch of salt
- 2-3 teaspoons fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Heat oven 350F. Line cupcake tin with paper liners.
- Cream butter, sugar, zest and orange oil with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time beating until well incorporated.
- Whisk flour, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds. Gradually add in dry ingredients alternating with orange soda, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
- Beat one minute until all is thoroughly mixed.
- Scoop batter into prepared liners filling ¾ full.
- Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool and frost.
Frosting
- Beat all ingredients together adding just enough orange juice to make a fluffy frosting.
Snappy Gourmet says
Very cute cupcakes! And great pic of William!
lisakeys64 says
Thanks. Yeah-he was a handsome devil! He never got to eat that chocolate fish. I keep it in my freezer.
danielle says
Love this idea!!!! John loves orange soda, I think this would be a huge hit at our house. Happy (early) Valentines Day!!! May you spend it with and remembering those you love xoxoxo
lisakeys64 says
thanks--the school where I used to work did a fund-raiser every year selling Crush cans with secret admirer messages. One year I got a Crush can or two and baked for the students
Nancy says
Great recipe! How sweet that you still have his fish. I still have the check my Mom sent us for ouranniversary the week before she died. Important, meaningful.
lisakeys64 says
important to keep those momentos that went from their hands to yours
Denise says
Love these cupcakes. Love your message even more. Valentines Day will forever be a sad happy difficult day for me as it is the day my boyfriend passed away 11 years ago. He was going to purpose to me that day but passed during the night. I have experience all the emotions you mention and unfortunately know them all to well. I did marry a wonderful man. I will always miss and love the man I lost. Not everyone can understand that. I try to explain that I did not break up with him he died. It does not mean I love my husband any less but some people just can't understand that.
lisakeys64 says
Oh Denise, I am so sorry about the loss of a man you loved so. As much as we adapt he will never be forgotten. I think the way you feel is so very normal. I am also glad that you still had room in your heart for a new love. There is a very special lady in my son's life who I am hoping the same for. She deserves someone amazing.
Kare Mackenzie says
Lisa, how do you make the icing look like that? Love that picture of Will, it looks so natural of him like that! Love you girl.
Maureen Keys says
Lisa, I keep that picture of Will on my dresser mirror...I will never forget him or the fun times we had together when the kids were small. Love reading your posts. Many years out from the rawness of grief for me, but it never completely goes away. Loosing a child is the greatest loss one can ever have.
lisakeys64 says
Thank you for keeping his photo out. I do the same as it reminds me to just keep going--that thumbs up attitude--we should all be so positive no matter the adversity. I do hope that Zachary and William are again together running through Vermont like forests or digging sand at the beach. For mothers like us, so invested in our children, you confirm what I anticipate and expect.
lisakeys64 says
Good morning, Kare. It is a large star tip and I just start on the outside of the cupcake and swirl inward. This photo of Will is my all time favorite as it speaks to his "my glass is always full" attitude.